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Fat infiltration of cervical multifidus muscle may lead to postural instability
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Researchers of this cross-sectional study found patients who have cervical spondylotic radiculopathy and experience fat infiltration within their cervical multifidus muscle can have postural instability in their static standing.
Researchers included 16 cervical spondylotic radiculopathy (CSR) patients who experienced C6 injuries and 25 age-matched controls in the study. Each patient underwent an MRI to examine bilateral cervical multifidus muscle. The muscle fat index was calculated using the measurement of the cervical multifidus muscle and intermuscular fat, researchers noted.
Researchers measured postural stability at an upright position with eyes opened and eyes closed for 60 seconds. The CSR cohort had significantly worse postural stability than the control group for both eyes opened and eyes closed. The CSR group demonstrated significant differences for C4, C5 and C6 muscle fat index (MFI), researchers found.
“Regarding the relationship between postural stability and fat within muscle, although there were no significant correlations between MFI and the total length of the [center of pressure] COP in eyes-closed condition of healthy controls, CSR patients demonstrated significant positive correlations between them,” the researchers wrote in the study.
They concluded there is a significant correlation in the CSR group between age, C4, C5 and C6 MFI values with eyes-closed postural stability. Fat within the cervical mutifidus muscle may directly cause postural instability in static standing. – by Robert Linnehan
Disclosure: Researchers reported no relevant financial disclosures.
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